Homemade Turkish Simit Bread Recipe: Easy Turkish Street Food by Ann Marie G. Halstead

If you love bread, especially baking homemade bread, you will love this Turkish bread recipe. Turkish simit is a delicious sesame-crusted bread, one of the most iconic Turkish breads, typically served for breakfast. It’s shaped like a ring, crusty and nutty on the outside and soft on the inside.

Simit is sometimes likened to a sesame bagel. However, simit is not as thick as a bagel and it's crustier, too. Perhaps the only similarity between simit and bagels is that they're both round. Either way it’s delicious and I can understand why it’s the most popular street food in Turkey, the favorite grab-and-go breakfast for busy working people and students. They love the combination of simit and cheese, which street vendors are happy to provide.

Cuisine: Turkish
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour and 5 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients

Dough

• 3 1/4 cups flour (note the amount of protein in your flour; it must be 13+ for simit)
• 2 tablespoons dry instant yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 10 ounces warm water

Coating

• 1/2 cup molasses (grape molasses or date molasses is traditional)
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 1/2 cups toasted sesame seeds

Here’s how to make it:

1. To make the dough, in a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, yeast and salt. Gradually pour in the water. Use a stand mixer with a dough hook and mix until you get a smooth, elastic, non-sticky dough or knead with your hands until you get the same. Cover dough and let it rise for about 1 hour, until it doubles in size.
2. To prepare the coating, in a medium bowl, whisk together molasses, water and flour. Set aside. If your sesame seeds are raw, toast them now. Then put the sesame seeds in another bowl and set aside.
3. To shape and bake the dough, when the dough doubles in size after 1 hour, flatten it a bit with your hands and transfer to a floured surface. Shape it into a log and cut it into six equal pieces, then cut each piece into two. You will now have 12 pieces in total.
4. Grab two pieces and roll them into a rope, 20 inches in length. Put these side by side and stick the ends by pinching them. Twist the pieces in opposite directions to make a braid. Combine the two ends by pinching them together and make a ring. Repeat this for the remaining dough balls.
5. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
6. Soak the simit ring into the molasses mixture and then into the sesame seed bowl. Transfer it onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden in color. Serve with cheese, if desired.

Note: If you can’t find the seeds toasted, toast them yourself. Heat a nonstick pan, add sesame seeds, stir occasionally until light brown.

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